High protein potato snacks

ABSTRACT

High protein containing potato snakes are prepared from raw potato slices with adhering coating of proteinaceous material and deep-fat fried. The protein bearing material is tightly adhered to the surfaces of the potato slices prior to and during deep-fat frying with proteinaceous binding material.

Uited States Patent [1 1 Waitman et al.

[ 1 HIGH PROTEIN POTATO SNACKS [75] Inventors: Reuben H. Waitman, PearlRiver;

Maria H. Kelly, Tarrytown, both of N.Y.; Frank Hollis, Jr., Hillsdale,

[73] Assignee: General Foods Corporation, White Plains, NY.

221 Filed: Nov. 2', 1970 211 Appl. No.: 86,312

[52] US. Cl 99/100 P, 99/168 [51] Int. Cl. A231 1/12, A231) 7/16 [58]Field of Search 99/1, 100, 168

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1120,040 7/1936 Romney99/100 P l,806,302 5/1931 Magrill 99/100 F 2,589,591 3/1952 Xander99/100 P 2,779,678 l/l957 Hamilton 99/100 F [451 Aug. 28, 1973 PrimaryExaminer-Norman Yudkoff Assistant Examiner-Martin G. NullenAttorney-Howard J. Newby, Bruno PfStruzzi and Daniel J. Donovan [57]ABSTRACT High protein containing potato snakes are prepared from rawpotato slices with adhering coating of proteinaceous material anddeep-fat fried. The protein bearing material is tightly adhered to thesurfaces of the potato slices prior to and during deep-fat frying withproteinaceous binding material.

1 Claim, N0 Drawings 1 HIGH PROTEIN POTATO SNACKS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to snack-typefood products and a method of preparing the same. In particular, theinvention is directed to a method of preparing deep-fat fried snackproducts from potato slices having an adhering coating of flavorfulproteinaceous food components.

2. Description of the Prior Art Snack-type food products have, in recentyears, attained wide consumer acceptance, and continue to become more indemand at an ever increasing rate. These products are usually enjoyed assupplements to regular meals in the forms of chips, puffs, crackers,etc. The great majority of snack products feature taste appeal, and, forthe most part, have high nutritional factors of carbohydrate and fat. Ingeneral, the conventional snack products enjoying wide distribution arenotably lacking in protein content.

Potato chips and other French-fried potato snack products, such aspotato sticks and potato strips have a special appeal and enjoywide-spread consumer acceptance especially among teenagers. Theseproducts, especially potato chips, are usually sold as a salted deep-fatfried product.

Variants, such as synthetically colored or flavored potato chips arealso available to a much limited extent. Although efforts have been madein the past to fortify potato snack products with proteins, withinpresent knowledge, none of these products has enjoyed commercialsuccess.

Magrill, US. Pat. No. 1,806,302 and Romney US. Pat. Reissue No. 20,040disclose the preparation of potato chips impregnated/coated with cheese,but this appears to be the extent of successfully augmenting potatosnack products of this type with protein containing components. AlthoughMagrill does, incidentally, mention that meat, milk, nut, or other foodproducts may be applied to the surfaces of potato chips after they areoil cooked, he does not describe how the operation is to be successfullyaccomplished, but, in effect, poses the problem of how to adequatelyintegrate the protein bearing food with the potato chip structure. Anunfilled need exists for an attractive appearing French-fried potatochip snack item which is supplemented with a significant amount offlavorful protein components wherein the product, in addition tosatisfying consumer taste appeal, also contributes appreciably towardsatisfying the protein requirements of a healthful diet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of this inventionto provide deep-fat fried snack-type products having a significantcontent of healthful protein.

It is another object of this invention to provide deepfat friedsnack-type products having excellent texture and flavor.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a deep-fat friedfood snack product having, as a base, a low cost potato structure towhich are added proteinaceous food materials having appealing deep-fatfried flavor.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a healthfulsnack product having a special appeal to teen-agers.

It is a feature of the instant invention that a variety of proteinaceousfood materials may be utilized for augmenting the protein content of theproducts of the invention.

It is another feature of the invention that the products derivedtherefrom, while supplementing the diet with protein, unlikeconventional deep-fat fried potato products, and especially unlikeconventional potato chips, have the capability of readily satiating theappetite. In effect, the products of the invention supplement the dietwith protein and also deter excess intake of fat and carbohydrate.

It is still another feature of the products of the invention that theyare structurally stronger than conventional potato chips and, therefore,have greater capability to withstand handling during transportation andmarketing. Also, the proteinaceous supplemented potato chips of theinstant invention have an attractive velvety brown surface.

Briefly, the foregoing objects and others are realized by a uniquemethod of adhering proteinaceous food particles to the surfaces ofpotato slices, strips and sticks and then deep-fat frying thecombination to form an attractive appearing and flavorful product.

The products of the invention have the textural attributes ofconventional deep-fat fried potato snacks plus the nutritional advantageof having a significant amount of protein.

The invention is founded on the discovery of the method to adhere theproteinaceous food material to the uncooked potato slice prior todeep-fat frying in such a manner that it is retained on the surface ofthe potato structure during deep-fat frying and is not removed by thesteam escaping from the potato as it is being cooked.

Surprisingly, it has been found that adherence of the protein materialserving as a coating can be successfully attained both before and duringdeep-fat frying by employing a heat coagulable protein as the adhesivemedium. A dilute aqueous solution, or so], of heat coagulable proteinhas been discovered to have the synergetic function of providing a thin,tacky coating to the uncooked potato slice for adequately adhering theproteinaceous coating and, in addition, supplying a portion of theprotein supplement to the potato structure. When the uncooked potatoslice is dipped, or otherwise coated, with the dilute aqueous solutionof heat coagulable protein, a uniformly thin coating is effected whichis adequate to adhere a uniformly thick layer of other dry proteinaceousmaterial particles to the surface of the potato slice prior to thecombination being deep-fat fried. Most importantly, during deep-fatfrying, the thin coating of dilute aqueous solution of heat coagulableprotein is capable of quickly coagulating under the temperatureconditions of the deep-fat frying operation, and in so doing, furtherbinds the protein material to the potato structure. As distinct from anynon-heat coagulable binding agent, the heat coagulable proteincoagulates before the water in the potato has an opportunity to escapeas steam during the deep-fat frying operation and force theproteinaceous coating from the surface of the potato structure. Sincethe heat coagulable protein binding medium is in the form of a uniformlyvery thin layer, the steam which does emanate from the potato chipduring frying is capable of penetrating the thin layer and escapingthrough the interstices of the uniform but discontinuous coating ofproteinaceous material.

In effect, the heat coagulable protein binding medium is sufficientlytacky to adhere the proteinaceous material to the potato structure priorto deep-fat frying and, by coagulation, further binds the coatingmaterial during deep-fat frying, and still further, permits steam toescape from the potato without separating the coating from the potatostructure. The net effect is a prodnet with a crisp potato chip base orbody upon which is coated a tightly adhering flavorable proteinaceousmaterial, both potato base and coating material exhibiting a well-cookeddeep-fat fried flavor.

Unlike batter coated potato chips wherein the thick impervious coatingis separated from the chip body by the action of the escaping steamduring deep-fat frying, the proteinaceous coating of this inventionassures no separation and, in effect, produces a product wherein thecoating may be considered integral with the potato base structure.

The aforementioned is by way of explanation of why the successfulproducts result from the method of the invention. Understandably, theinvention is not to be construed to be limited to the partialexplanation of the mechanism by which the heat coagulable proteinadheres the proteinaceous food supplement to the potato slice to form acoating integrated with the surface of the slice. Rather, the nub of theinvention is the fact the uncooked protein-bearing coating can betightly adhered to the potato structure prior to and during deepfatfrying by a material which also adds to the protein nutritional contentof the products.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the practice of thisinvention, a thin potato slice is the preferred structure to which thecoating of proteinaceous material is applied prior to deep-fat frying.Potato slices of a thickness used for the manufacture of potato chipsare ideally suited to the invention because the potato slice is fullycooked at about the same time as the coating of proteinaceous materialwhen the deep-fat frying takes place in conventional batch andcontinuous equipment under frying conditions normally used for potatochip manufacture.

Although the invention can be broadened to other forms of potato slicessuch as sticks or strips, care must be exercised in the selection of thecoating, its thickness, and the deep-fat frying conditions in order toavoid over-cooking the coating prior to sufficiently cooking the potatobody. Similarly, it is contemplated that the scope of the invention canbe extended to include base materials other than potatoes. Thus,variations of the invention would be to apply coatings other thanproteinaceous bearing materials to base materials, such as carrots,turnips, etc. provided proper adjust-' ments are made in the thicknessof the coating and the geometry of the base materials to obtain auniformly cooked product.

In addition to affording a product quite similar to the desirable crisptexture of potato chips, thin potato slices, as used by the method ofthis invention, are also preferred because of their large surface areaper unit weight which is conducive to adhering a significant amount ofproteinaceous material in a relatively thin, uniformly distributedcoating to achieve a high protein containing potato snack product.

For purposes of the invention, it has been found that potato sliceshaving a thickness ranging from about 0.030 inch to about 0.060 inch aremost suitable. As with conventional potato chip manufacture, the rawpotato slices are optionally subjected to a sulphite solution dip toinhibit surface darkening prior to deep-fat frying. This dip isespecially effective if a delay is contemplated before the raw potatoslices are to be deepfat fried. The sulphited slices are then surfacedried of excess water and immersed in an aqueous mixture of heatcoagulable protein. A dilute aqueous solution of egg white has beenfound to be the preferred heat coagulable protein material for applyingto the potato slices to effect excellent adherence of the majority ofcoatings employed in carrying out the invention. Fresh egg white orreconstituted dry egg white to which is added to the mix about 1 toabout 9 parts of water has been determined to produce the most preferredbinding medium. This degree of dilution of the egg white assures auniformly thin, tacky coating when applied to the potato slice; acoating which, as explained above, is distinguishable from a thick,impermeable batter coating in that, when coagulated by the heat of thedeep-fat frying operation, the coating permits the steam to escape fromthe potato as it is being cooked and yet tightly binds the proteinaceousfood supplement to the potato surface. Also, the use of the above rangeof dilution of egg white limits the amount of egg white which is appliedto the potato surface to the extent the egg white flavor is not apredominant factor in the overall taste of the finished product.

With the use of some proteinaceous coating materials, notably with fish,it has been discovered that the coating material inherently containssufficient amounts of heat coagulable protein to satisfactorily adherethe supplemental protein coating to the potato slice without the use ofegg white or any other binding material. It has been found that the heatcoagulable protein, Myosin, occurs in fish in an amount adequate tosatisfactorily adhere the fish protein supplement material to the potatoslice.

The coatings of supplemental proteinaceous material which can be appliedto the potato slice can be selected from many sources. To obtain theadvantages of a significantly high protein content addition to thepotato slice, it is, of course, necessary to add material having a highprotein content. However, if the attribute of a significant amount ofprotein is not desired, nonproteinaceous material can, of course, beemployed. The critical factor, with all types of coating, is thecapability of being adhered to the potato slice with a heat coagulableprotein medium and that this adherence should be satisfactorilyeffective both before and after the heat coagulable protein iscoagulated.

Coatings of such materials as shredded fish, chicken, bacon, and hamhave been successfiilly applied to potato slices by employing the methodof the invention. In the case of fish, it has been found to beunnecessary to employ any binding medium.

The most desirable appearing and most effective adherence of the coatingoccurs when the coating is in a shredded form. Although flaked andpowdered forms of coatings can be successfully applied, the shreddedform provides the optimum overall result. While the actual sieve size ofthe coating shredded material is not critical, it is essential for goodadherence to the potato slice and for appearance purposes that a shredsize ranging from about 8-mesh to about 20 mesh be employed.

The coating is applied to the potato slice by any one of a number ofconventional methods. The coating may be cascaded over the potato slicesor the slices dredged in a body of the coating material. Preferably, acoating ranging from about 5 percent to about 40 percent by weight ofthe deep-fat fried product is applied to the potato slices. The amountof protein added to the potato slice will, of course, depend upon theprotein content of the coating material. In general, however, theprotein added to the potato slice will range in amounts from about lpercent to about 25 percent.

As stated hereinabove, the coated potato slices can be deep-fat fried inconventional equipment of either the batch or continuous type, and usingthe standard operating procedures employed for the deep-fat frying ofpotato chips. With potato slices of a thickness of about 0.030 inch toabout 0.060 inch coated with approximately percent to about 40 percentproteinaceous material, deep-fat frying of about 60 to about 35 secondsat temperatures of 350F. to 450F. has been determined to yieldexcellent, flavorful wellcooked products.

In order to further illustrate the present invention, but in no waylimit it, the following illustrative examples are provided:

EXAMPLE I Peeled raw potatoes were sliced to chips having a thicknessranging from about 0.035 inch to about 0.045 inch. The chips weresurfaced washed in cold water, drained and then dredged in shredded,dry, salted codfish.

The coated chips were then deep-fat fried in a commercial frying oil at350F. until substantially all of the water in the chips was removed, asevidenced by near cessation of bubbling in the fat. The cooked,fishcoated chips were removed from the fat, drained and cooled and thenpackaged.

The finished chips had a tightly adhering coating of codflsh shredswhich provided a desirable delicate fish flavoring. Analysis showed aprotein content of approximately 20 percent on a product weight basis.

EXAMPLE II Raw potato slices prepared as in example I were dipped in a1:1, by weight, aqueous dilution of raw egg white and then allowed todrain. The egg white coated chips were then dredged in coarsely ground,well-fried bacon shreds.

The bacon coated chips were then deep-fat fried as in Example 1resulting in chips having a unique, tightly adhering bacon shred coatingwhich imparted a desirable bacon flavor to the product. Analysis showedthe bacon coated chips to have a protein content of about 15 percent.

EXAMPLE Ill As in example ll except crumbled and ground wellfried hamwas used in place of the bacon.

Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed anddiscussed, it will be understood that other applications of theinvention are possible and that other embodiments disclosed may besubjected to various changes, modifications and substitutions withoutnecessarily departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A completely deep-fat fried snack-type food consisting of:

a. a fried potato slice having a thickness of from about 0.03 inch toabout 0.06 inch,

b. a moisture pervious fried coating of eggwhite, sai

eggwhite being coagulated, and encasing said fried potato, and

c. a coating of fried shredded animal proteinaceous food material oversaid coating of eggwhite, said coating of fried shredded animalproteinaceous food material having a shred size ranging from about 8mesh to about 20 mesh and tightly adhered to the potato slice by thecoagulated eggwhite, and said coating of shredded animal proteinaceousfood material comprising from about 5 percent to about 40 percent of theweight of the cooked food product.

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